Presentation to Science and Innovation in SW Agriculture Conference. Chief Scientist of Western Australia Professor Peter Klinken May 18, 2017

Transcription

1 Presentation to Science and Innovation in SW Agriculture Conference Professor Peter Klinken May 18, 2017

2 Report directly to Minister for Science, Dave Kelly Work with other Ministers who have science in their portfolio eg Minster for Agriculture Provide independent advice on: Science and innovation Broadening the economy Promoting science Work closely with the Office of Science (In new Dept of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation) to: Enhance collaboration Attract investment Build leading-edge capacity Promote science policies and raise public awareness

3 Importance of Science Science affects virtually every part of our lives from: Communication computers, mobile phones Health medicines, treatments Travel Cars, planes, boats Housing lights, water, heating Food and drink quality, quantity Etc, etc.

4 Science / Industry Continuum Invention Innovation Development Product Fundamental research Applied R&D/ Translational Industrial/ Commercial Universities / Government agencies / SMEs Industry Research organisations Innovation Centres Start-ups CSIRO/ CRC s Industry Growth Centres

5 Importance of Science Lord Alec Broers The technological revolution has been swift and the pace relentless. Nations that fail to keep up are doomed to become part of a second world (UWA Alumni presentation, London 2014)

6 Australia as a knowledge nation Australia s science base is strong, as shown by its high public-sector expenditure on R&D, the high international ranking of its Universities and publication rates in top scientific journals (OECD Science, Technology Industry Outlook 2012)

7 Australia as a knowledge nation Produces ~3-4% world s new knowledge annually ~0.3% world s population Rankings OECD #9 Nature #11 Scientific American #12 6 Universities in top 100 globally (ARWU) 16 Universities in top 100 (under 50 years old)

8 Rankings for Innovation Bloomberg #20 OECD #19 Global Innovation Index #19 - Institutions #11 - Human capital and research #7 - Infrastructure #7

9 Translation / Commercialisation Global Innovation Index Innovation efficiency #81 Knowledge diffusion #78 Science and Engineering graduates #73 High/ medium tech manufacturing #54 OECD Firms collaborating with academia 34/34 Firms collaborating globally 26/34

10 STEM education Underpins a capable and adaptable economy Core Competencies : critical thinking, creative thinking, problem solving, innovative approaches Curriculum content can crush creativity and curiosity Science, mathematics - compulsory in Yrs Crucial for jobs of the future Important for an informed community that values science, innovation and creativity STEAM / esteam arts, entreprenuership

11 Future job predictions CEDA 40% of current jobs will not exist in years Australian Chief Scientist 75% of fastest growing occupations require STEM CSIRO Job creation will outpace job destruction, despite automation New jobs will involve creativity, complexity, judgment Need agile, flexible, nimble workforce

12 Australian Exports Diversified domestic industrial base Lowest export complexity in the OECD Figure: Economic Complexity index (2010) in OECD Countries (Source: Harvard University)

13 Science priorities in WA Resources Food Health Environment Space (Science Statement for Western Australia, 2015) Alignment with National Science Priorities Alignment with Industry Growth Centres

14 Invest in Science Science investment for the future NOT a black hole for money with no returns NOT cheaper to import all new technology New solutions, cures, treatments don t fall magically from the sky. Research enables understanding of the challenges / opportunities -> develop informed responses

15 Major Scientific Institutions University of Western Australia Curtin University Murdoch University Edith Cowan University Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation

16 Government Agencies Play a vital role in applied science Often unglamorous/ unrecognised Crucial for the State Examples: DMP (Geological Survey Resource sector) DoF (Crayfish, prawn, crab monitoring sustainable industries) DAFWA (3x increased grain productivity with 30% decrease in rainfall) DoH - Pathwest (Difficult, expensive tests)

17 Agriculture and Food World leader in dry land, broad acre farming Excellence in numerous areas of agriculture Green and clean image /brand overseas Priorities: - Productivity - Biosecurity - Changing environment - Water - Provenance Opportunities: - Precision farming - Big data analytics - Aquaculture - Northern WA

18 Agriculture and Food Other food sectors: High quality, sustainable wild-catch seafood (crayfish, prawns, crabs) - Marine Stewardship Council recognition Sheep - high quality meat and wool Cattle high quality meat

19 Recent initiatives in Agriculture Food and Agribusiness Growth Centre (Food Innovation Australia Ltd FIAL) Premier s Fellow in Agriculture o Dr Simon Cook appointed in 2016 o Focus on Big data and analytics o Centre for Digital Agriculture Premier s Mid-career Fellow appointment Premier s Agriculture and aquaculture entrepreneurship program Minister s Roundtable Grains research

20 Supercomputing and Big data Massive amounts of data collected every day Increasing continuously New technologies, skills and workforce needed Pawsey Supercomputing Centre Magnus research computer (1.5 petaflops) Future SKA data processor (100 petaflops ) DownUnder Geosolutions (9 petaflops) Opportunities / challenges in Agriculture: Big data analytics weather, soil, sensors, satellites, drones, genetics, metabolites etc Other nations leading in Agricultural data science - USA, Canada Data sharing rules Telecommunications mobile coverage

21 Key Underpinning Factors Supercomputing - data analytics / data linkage Imaging / Visualization / Characterization OMICs (genomics, proteomics, metabolomics) STEM education Water Collaboration

22 Thank you